Hundreds jeer, protest funeral for Nazi war criminal Priebke by schismatic Catholic group

ALBANO LAZIALE, Italy – Hundreds of people have jeered the coffin of Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke as it arrived for a funeral Mass celebrated by a group which opposed the Catholic Church's modernizing reforms and outreach to Jews.

Ever since Priebke died Friday, debate has raged over what to do with his remains, since the Rome archdiocese refused him a funeral in a Catholic Church. The dilemma took a surreal turn on Tuesday when word got out that the Albano Laziale chapter of the schismatic Society of St. Pius X would celebrate it.

The local mayor issued an ordinance trying to block the coffin from arriving but was overruled by the government prefect. As the hearse bringing arrived outside the society's church, people in the crowd shouted "We are all anti-fascist!"